Loading device for pick-up trucks



Jan. 31, 1956 E. N. NILSON 2,732,960 7 LOADING DEVICE FOR PICK-UP TRUCKS Filed Feb. 11, 1955 6 INVENTOR.

28 0 E/mer /V- /V/'/son E lg =|4 $5 BY 38 34 Z 6 23 VORNE'Y United States Patent LOADING DEVICE FOR PICK-UP TRUCKS Elmer N. Nilson, Irene, S. Dak.

Application February 11, 1953, Serial No. 336,221

1 Claim. (Cl. 214 -77) My invention relates to a loading device for pickrup trucks.

An object of my invention is to provide a collapsible platform device which can be used to elevate objects for the purpose of loading the same onto trucks, and which collapsible device can then be forced into the truck after raising.

A further object of my invention is to provide a raisable platform arrangement which can be elevated to practically any desired height, and which when placed in the truck will be practically entirely enclosed.

A further object of my invention is to provide the foregoing arrangement in a simple structure.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure l is a side elevation of the arrangement as applied to a pick-up truck, with a portion thereof being taken in section,

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional enlarged detail view taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional enlarged view taken along the lines 4--4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 55 of Figure l, and

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the arrangement in collapsed position. 7

I have used the character 10 to designate the rear body or box portion of a pick-up truck, with the character 11 indicating the rear wheels, the character 12 the transverse bracing portions, and the character 13 the longitudinal bracing portions, it being understood that my invention will pertain to any type of pick-up truck. The character 14 designates the rear door hinged at 15, which door in some cases will rest upon the bumper 16 as shown by the dotted lines.

Securely attached to the side walls 17 of the box 10 are a pair of vertically positioned channels 18 which extend the entire length of the box and terminate at the front wall 19.

Received within the channels 18 are the lengthened members 20 to which are journalled at 21 the pairs of rollers 22, and pivoted at 23 to the members 20 are the further members 24 which are pivoted at 25 to a platform 26 which is suitably braced by means of the channel members 27.

Pivoted at 28 to the members 20 are the further members 29 which are pivoted at 30 to the platform 26, and pivoted between the members 24 and 29 at 31 are the further members 32.

The members 29 include the upwardly extending portions 33, and rigidly secured to the edges of the portions 33 and the members 29 are the semi-circular solid members 34 having the peripheral grooves 35 therein.

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Attached to the members 20 are the pins 36 upon which are journalled the further rollers 37. Secured at 38 to the members 29 are the cables 39 which pass through the grooves 35 and thence pass under the pulleys 40 which pulleys can be mounted on the same points as the pivotal points 23, the cables 39 thence passing about the further pulleys 41, 42 and 43, these pulleys then being attached to the cylindrical member 44, and threadably engaged within the cylindrical member 44 is the lengthened screw 45.

The pulleys 42 and 43 are mounted on a vertically positioned pin 46 attached between the plates 47 which are secured to the members 20, as is the pulley 41. Also secured between the plates 47 is a transverse bar 48 with which is slidably engaged the member 49 which extends into the portion 5% which receives the cylindrical member 44 to which it is tightly secured.

One of the members 20 includes an opening 51 which is adapted to receive the crank portion 52 terminating in the crank handle 53, and extending from the screw 45 is the socket 54 having a portion for registering with the square portion 55 of the member 52. The screw 45 is journalled within the bracket 56.

Attached to and across the channels 18 is a flat plate member 57 which extends substantially forwardly to the forward edge 58. The character 59 designates the bottom wall of the truck body.

If desired, a pair of stop members 6% can be positioned within the channels 18 to limit outward movement of the arrangement by abutting against one of the rollers as shown,.such stop member however being of limited width in order to allow the roller 37 10132188 thereby when the unit is placed in the truck body.

The device operates in the following manner. When the device is to be used for loading heavy articles into the truck body, the arrangement is pulled outwardly with the parallelogram members allowing the same to fall to the position as shown in Figure 1, where the arrangement is then to be used for raising heavy articles, such as refrigerators, stoves, or anyother articles. The article to be raised is then placed upon the platform 26, the crank portion 52 is inserted in the opening 51 with the crank portion 55 engaging the socket 54, whereby the crank is then rotated. The continued rotation of the crank will cause the screw 45 to feed into the member 44 whereby the member 49 will slide along the member 48 toward the crank, and at the same time the cables 39 will be drawn in the same direction so that the attachment of the cables at 38 will cause the member 29 to raise to an elevated position, with the further members 24, etc. following. The operation'is continued until the members appear as shown in Figure 6. At this point, since all 'of the main members 24 and 29 are in direct alignment with the channels 18, they can then be forced inwardly in the direction of the arrow 69a, after the crank 53 has been removed, carrying the article on the platform into the truck, and until the front. end of the platform 26 abuts against the edge 58 of the plate 57, thereby providing acontinuous level surface, after which the article can be easily forced toward the forward end of the truck body. It will be noted that the pull of the cables 39 about the semi-circular member 34 permits the pull to be applied at a constant radius above the pivoting points so that the pull is uniform at all times.

The members 32 assist in keeping the various elements 24 and 29 etc. in direct alignment as shown in Figure 6 and substantially at this point through the rigidifying effect of these members when the pivotal points are on dead center.

In some instances it may be desired to elevate the platform to a higher elevation when unloading from g 3 the truck, which is performed by'winding the screw 45 still further when necessary, whereby the parallelogram members 24, 29., etc. will continue to swing until these occupy the upper dotted position as shown in Figure 1, whereby an article placed on the platform can be unloaded to ahigher dock or other location. Only portions of the members 34 are shown in Figure 6 in order to clarify the operation, these members of course sliding into the truck With the members 29. Also, it will be understood that the channels 18 will be longer than shown, so. that when'the entire arrangement is placed in the truck, the rear edge of the same will be practically flush with the rear door 14 when closed. When the. arrangement is placed in the truck body, the members 34 will be positioned at either side and out of the way. 1

In some cases it may be desired to use, a hydraulic arrangement, or other similar arrangement, for pulling on the cables 39, it being understood that such devices can be placed between the framework members 20, and performing the same operation.

It will now be seen that I have provided the various advantages set forth in the objects of my invention with various other advantages being readily apparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claim any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

A loading device for pick-up trucks comprising a pair of spaced channel members attached within the pickup truck body, longitudinally extending members slidably engaged with said channel members, pairs of further members providing parallelograms pivotally secured to said longitudinally extending members, a platform pivotally se ured at; the. ower nds of said fur r members, means for collapsing said further members to an aligned position with saidlongitudinally extending members whereby said longitudinally extending members can be directed inwardly within said channels and into the truck body for transporting articles on said platform therein, said collapsing means including arcuate members secured to certain of said further members, cables passing over said arcuatev members, a transverse member attached between said longitudinally extending members, a slid-able clamp engaged therewith, a threaded cylindrical member attached tov said clamp, a rotatable screw member threadably engaged with said cylindrical member, means for rotating said screw member, a plate member attached across said channels and extending to a substantial distance behind the front wall of the truck body, said platform registering flush with said plate member when said parallelogram members are collapsed and said device is positioned within the truck body, said longitudinally extending members including rollers attached thereto for engaging said channels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 893,491 Hansen July 14, 1908 1,052,096 Schulze Feb. 4, 1913 1,465,787- Broady Aug. 21, 1923 1,699,882 Ferguson Jan. 22, 1929 2,033,243. Jester Mar. 10, 1936 2,298,166 Richards 1 Oct. 6, 1942 2,350,641 Ruddo ck June 6, 1944 2,527,818 Ives Oct. 31, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 483,128 France a Mar. 8, 1917 440,233 Great Britain Dec. 23, 1935 85,758 Sweden Mar. 3, 1936 

